World Film Festivals - by SimonC

Poitier to be honoured at Chicago FF

September 29th 2008 06:42

In just under three weeks, the CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL is to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to OSCAR® - winning actor Sidney Poitier at the Black Perspectives Tribute as part of their 44th annual festival. Held at the Chase Auditorium, the ceremony will take a look back on the career of one of the finest actors of his generation and the groundbreaking roles and performances he has been a part of since the 50’s.

Beginning with the usual cocktail reception, the tribute presentation is set to begin at 7.30pm, hosted by FOX’s Robin Robinson and is set to include a one on one with the great man himself as well as a wide and varied selection of highlights which will definitely only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to summarising this wonderful career.

And as more of our innovative and courageous stars of yesterday are no longer with us, it is a timely tribute to one of the most consistent and talented actors the world has seen.

poitier, hepburn, tracy, houghton

Now in its fifth decade, the Chicago International Film Festival, October 16-29, 2008 brings red carpet premieres, appearances by legendary international actors and directors, and exclusive access to the latest and best films from around the world to Chicago audiences. In 2007, the Festival showcased more than 160 films from 44 countries and presented the work of both established masters and dynamic new filmmakers.

The Black Perspectives Tribute will be held at Chase Auditorium, 10 S. Dearborn, on Saturday October 18, 2008 and by now the event is most likely a sellout, but tickets may still be available at The Black Perspectives Tribute Event, which include the post-Tribute reception at Chase Auditorium, priced at US$150
To purchase call 312-683-0121 or visit:
Chicago International Film Festival

Below is a brief outline on the career of Sidney Poitier from the organisers of the 44th Chicago International Film Festival.

As an Academy Award®-winning actor, director, producer and best-selling author, Sidney Poitier's career of more than 50 years has garnered him innumerable honors and awards, including being knighted by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in 1968.

In 1963, Poitier became the first African American to win the Academy Award® for Best Actor for his powerful performance in Lilies of the Field. A second Oscar® was presented to Sidney Poitier in 2002 for his "extraordinary performances and unique presence on the screen and for representing the industry with dignity, style and intelligence". His extensive filmography as an actor includes such classics as: Cry, the Beloved Country; A Raisin in the Sun; To Sir, with Love; In the Heat of the Night; Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and They Call Me MISTER Tibbs, among many others. He has also directed and starred in many notable films such as Buck and the Preacher and Uptown Saturday Night.

Other film awards include a BAFTA®, three Golden Globes®, the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award, the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, five NAACP Image Awards, and two Golden Bear Awards from the Berlin Film Festival. Poitier has written three best-selling autobiographies: This Life (1980); The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (2000); and Life Beyond Measure - Letters to My Great-Granddaughter (2008). The Measure of a Man was chosen to be an Oprah's Book Club selection.

Since it's founding in 1997 through collaboration with acclaimed director Spike Lee, the Black Perspectives Program has been a mainstay of the Chicago International Film Festival. Each year, Black Perspectives showcases a wide range of films by Africans, African Americans, and filmmakers of African descent from around the world and exposes Chicagoans to culturally enriching cinema. A Tribute is held during the Festival to recognize outstanding achievements in the cinematic arts. Past honorees include Jeffrey Wright, Ruby Dee, Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Terrence Howard and Halle Berry.

Chicago International Film Festival
30 E. Adams St., Suite 800
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Tel: 1-312-683-0121
Chicago International Film Festival

Vote

Add To:

subscribe to this blog

follow this blog on Orble

start your own blog

[ Link ]

Posted By: SimonC - Category: No Category

Related Posts:

Relate This Post

[ Previous - Australian Animation and Effects Festival - last calls ]

[ Next - New Babylon - Shostakovich! ]

Add A Comment

To create a fully formatted comment please click here.

CLICK HERE TO LOGIN | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Name or Orble Tag

Home Page (optional)

Comments

Notify me of replies

Notify extra people about this comment

Is this a private comment?

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this comment

One per line max of 30

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this private comment thread. Only the people in this list will be able to see or reply to your comment.

One per line max of 30

Your Name
(for the email going out to the above list, it can be different to your Orble Tag)

Your Email Address

(optional)

(required for reply notification)

Submit

July 2010

44 Posts

June 2010

40 Posts

May 2010

27 Posts